The present invention relates to avatar manipulation, and more particularly to a method and system for modifying avatar motion.
Today, virtual worlds, 3-D Internet, massive multi-player games, character animation in movies, tele-presence, virtual meetings, and related are becoming more popular and important. 3-D interactive games are becoming increasingly popular. People may conduct business in virtual worlds. Meetings may sometimes represent attendees using avatar representations. Teachers in the form of avatars may interact with students.
Similarly, given today's environment of expensive travel and increased cost-cutting, more businesses are making transactions using the telephone, using avatars in virtual meeting rooms, and via other remote methods rather than face-to-face meetings. It is therefore desirable to make the best impression in these remote communications, since new forms of communication are becoming common modes of performing business, and individuals need to create impressions given access only to multimedia channels.
Similarly, novice users of avatars in virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life) and 3-D games may need help in moving their avatars and performing gestures. Beginners often do not know how to control their avatars to provide various nuances. Also, some gestures may have different meanings for different viewers of the gestures.
Similarly, increasingly more characters in movies are actually based on avatars that are controlled by a human actor. Such avatars may have subtle motions, methods of running, gestures, etc. On any given day, at any particular point during the day, a controller of an avatar might not be in best form. A user may be tired, inexperienced, or have motor deficits. A user of an avatar may desire to make a convincing sales pitch or compelling presentation, but cannot naturally and easily exhibit the level of motion enthusiasm and nuance that he/she would want in order to appear authoritative, energetic, contrite, etc. Some users may be unable to attain the broad gestural range that is needed in a particular setting, due to disabilities that include poor motor control or autism of various degrees.
Alternatives to avatar use include corresponding through text, and using textual cues to indicate emotion, energy, contrition, etc. However text (or traditional phone calls) is not always the ideal channel to use to conduct business. Another option involves face-to-face meetings, where other characteristics (affect, gestures, etc.) can be made use of to make strong and/or subtle points. However, as mentioned, face-to-face meetings are not always logistically possible.